Cloudy skies this past weekend - not enough stars shining

[rfolster]

I would like to thank everyone who has helped me and supported me up to and through my first attempt at the BCU 4* Assessment this weekend. Yes, unfortunately I did not pass, but I went into the weekend with that expectation because I have been on a fast-track pace since my first 2* training only a year and a half ago. I intended to use the Assessment as an opportunity to determine what I had actually learned so far, and what I still needed to work on, and what I found out surprised me.

For those that may not know, the BCU 4* and 5* are not just about paddling in more and more insane conditions, although for some people it can feel that way. The real purpose of these two levels is primarily for leadership which, by the way, NSPN strongly promotes within the CAM system at somewhere between the 3* and 4* level. What surprised me from the weekend is how difficult leadership can be when you actually try to apply it in a real setting. Let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, it is not so much about how complete your boat repair kit is, or whether or no to clip a tow line on from above or below a deck line, or knowing what heading to take to get from point A to point B. While those are still important aspects of being a leader of a group, all of that can be learned sitting in a dry, climate-controlled room (although it is so much more fun learning on the water, isn't it!!)

The true crux of it, at least for me and what ended up being my downfall this weekend, is being able to figure out where to position myself to be the most useful to the group. Most of the time, this is not that difficult and I did okay for the simple journey-portions of the trips. The 4* and 5* training are not for the "most of the time" situations, but instead addresses those times when people can get hurt, equipment might be damaged, or any number of things can or have already become serious. This means getting people through a rough or dangerous spot as safely as possible, or handling a rescue in adverse conditions or circumstances. This is so much more about thinking on the fly than it is memorizing a formula or remembering some acronym telling you what order things are supposed to be done. Even though you can read from a book or try to come up with some basic theories, each situation is so completely different that you need to build up some instinctual reactions about where you need to be and how you need to handle it. The best way to do this is to get out there and experience as many possibilities as you can, and that is what I need to do.

With that said, I am looking for a little help. No matter what the skill level or how much (or little) we actually work on, whether you join on one of my trips, or invite me to join one of yours, any chance to work on this stuff would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again to everyone who has helped me get to this point so far, and looking forward to seeing you on the water soon!

[mhabich]

Boy, I know this feeling. I can remember lots of times I haven't known what to do, but when I've figured it out or someone (often Rob) has told me what to do, I've known how to do it. Makes for very effective learning.

Rob, are you saying you need to paddle with someone who'll get into trouble and make you think? Always glad to oblige.

[rfolster]

Rob, are you saying you need to paddle with someone who'll get into trouble and make you think? Always glad to oblige.

Mike, that is exactly what I am asking for, and glad you are willing. Thanks!

[...]

Rob,

Oh Boy! We can make you our project! You know how I like to plan and execute projects! This will be amazing. Fasten your seat belt!!!!!

Warren

[JohnHuth]

There's nothing like having a Maine Guide put you through your paces!

[jason]

4* and 5* are a big jump up from the 3*. The 4* and 5* are very related and are each significant achievements!

[rfolster]

There's nothing like having a Maine Guide put you through your paces!

Yes John, but what Warren is failing to realize is that HE is going to be the one banging against the rocks while i sit there figuring out how (or even if) I rescue him!

[rfolster]

Rob, are you saying you need to paddle with someone who'll get into trouble and make you think? Always glad to oblige.

I also wanted to say that I myself am willing to be the one getting into trouble for those also training for 4* and 5*. Apparently I need some more but-in-boat time in the scary stuff (AKA rocks).

[jason]

I also wanted to say that I myself am willing to be the one getting into trouble for those also training for 4* and 5*. Apparently I need some more but-in-boat time in the scary stuff (AKA rocks).

I am always glad to help with with scenario's. I am glad to jump out of my boat and over in the middle of a funky rock outcropping and pretend to have a dislocated shoulder etc.. If you need some more troublemakers helpers please let me know.

[eburgess]

Count me in for some practice . . . I have been known to be prone to head lacerations and hypothermia from time to time! ?

[rfolster]

So I have a dislocated shoulder, head laceration, and hypothermia. Do I have a sea sickness? Anyone? Going once..... Going twice........

[beckt]

This sounds like a good time! I would like to come play.

[JohnHuth]

A typical way of doing this is to have two (or more) people who are the guinea pigs, and the instructor who puts them into various situations.

Example: I did training with a Maine guide who took me out with another paddler. He would say …."OK, paddle into that slot-cave" when some swell was charging into it. "OK, now *you* wet exit"….."OK, now you - other guy - rescue him…." Or…"tow that guy through the eddy line." Over time, you build up enough permutations of conditions and scenarios that you begin to connect the dots.

Having said that, I'm just doing a lot of paddling and camping at the moment, so I really haven't had a lot of experience rescuing people in weird conditions since I did that training. I probably should get back to it, and yeah, it's kind of fun - certainly a lot of good stories.

[JulieC]

Well it seems like Liz and I have many of the same ailments... I have never had seasickness before, but there is always that first time :-)

[rfolster]

You have it exactly right, John. It is "muscle memory" for the brain combined - if you continue to solve enough puzzles of a given type, you can begin to solve any permeation of that puzzle faster and easier.

Something I have been thinking a lot about is that you don't necessarily have to spend a whole day at a time doing this. You can just do one scenario before lunch during a day-paddle. That way, you can rest up and discuss it during lunch, and leave the rest of the day enjoying the trip. I also think that all kayak campers should do it at least once every couple of trips or so since, just because you are on a camping trip doesn't mean that something can't happen. Have people ever tried to T-Rescue a fully loaded boat? I will give anyone a trick that might help, but only if you come out to help me train!!

[prudenceb]

As soon as my thumb is healed, I'm in, Rob. I am happy to be your guinea pig for further destruction of important body parts - a skill at which I seem to be excelling of late!

On a more serious note, though, I'm very impressed by your willingness to be so open about your experience of the assessment.

It's great that you are not framing this as a "failure" ( even though of course you would have loved to have passed - a most human response) but as a valuable learning opportunity. You know that you are surrounded by quite a crowd of paddling buddies that is eager to help you in whatever way possible.

Thanks for having the courage to take the journey...and sharing it!

pru

[jason]

You have it exactly right, John. It is "muscle memory" for the brain combined - if you continue to solve enough puzzles of a given type, you can begin to solve any permeation of that puzzle faster and easier.

Something I have been thinking a lot about is that you don't necessarily have to spend a whole day at a time doing this. You can just do one scenario before lunch during a day-paddle. That way, you can rest up and discuss it during lunch, and leave the rest of the day enjoying the trip. I also think that all kayak campers should do it at least once every couple of trips or so since, just because you are on a camping trip doesn't mean that something can't happen. Have people ever tried to T-Rescue a fully loaded boat? I will give anyone a trick that might help, but only if you come out to help me train!!

I have done T-rescues on a fully loaded boats before haven't noticed them to be much different, that said others may not have the same results.

Even an hour of scenarios can be very useful and potentially can take a lot of energy as you may have to be fighting off hypothermia, combative guinea pigs or lifting boats and people up 10 foot rock faces.

Scenarios can be fun, but a full day of back to back ones will use a lot of energy.

[eneumeier]

I am going to post a Columbus Day/afternoon paddle in the Annisquam. A good setting for current problems (under the RR bridge and at Blynman canal); emergency landings in a marsh (deep water right next to marsh grass), and, depending on the ocean swell from Ipswich Bay, some surf issues. Come along and we will see what mischief can be made. Liz

[rfolster]

It's great that you are not framing this as a "failure" ( even though of course you would have loved to have passed - a most human response) but as a valuable learning opportunity. You know that you are surrounded by quite a crowd of paddling buddies that is eager to help you in whatever way possible.

You are correct, Pru, I would have loved to have passed, and my most human response was disappointment upon hearing that I did not pass. As the words were coming out of his mouth, I was both hearing them, but also wishing that I wasn't. But I must honestly say that, after pushing the disappointment aside and making the effort to have the complete conversation about what went wrong (as well as what I did well), I soon realized that I might have felt guilt if I had actually passed, because I was so clearly not ready.

To understand the path that I have taken to get to this point, one does not need to wonder why it is that I wasn't up to the task. Since passing the 3* in late July of last year, I had only six weekends before a vacation immediately followed by my neck surgery. That recovery brought me right into the middle of winter, followed by my elbow surgery in the beginning of March. I cut that recovery short by a week to do the first 4* training (which was a 5-day combination Guide course), only to have my only full-time employee break is knee in a motorcycle incident three weeks prior! I could barely participate in the on-water activities (but made a really good teabag that week), and couldn't even go out on the water the last day of the training week due to overworking my elbow. The 2nd 4* weekend in July came up really quick, and that was my first chance to really try guiding, and I HATED it! I had no idea why I was having such a negative response, because it wasn't going horrible - well, it was going as well as 4* aspirants guiding other 4* aspirants really can.

At the end of the weekend, I felt lost and frustrated because I didn't have a clear idea of what I needed to work on for the assessment, and I just wasn't getting the solid feedback that I wanted (at that point, there probably was no solid feed back to be given, so no blame to anyone). John was well aware of my frustration, and questioned whether or not I should do the assessment, and for a moment I didn't have an answer either. I was about to completely break down, thinking about going for another half a year without knowing what to work on until the next 4* training (not even thinking that there might be other training opportunities in between) when it all finally crystallized for me. The answers that I most desperately needed awaited me at the assessment! From that moment, I put any concerns about passing the assessment out of my mind. The goal was to solidly identify my strengths and weaknesses, and there would be no better opportunity to identify them. There was nothing else to do before then except to just go out and enjoy paddling, which included learning that I can get dumped in the middle of a ripping tide race and survive, and then loosing myself in an amazing multi-day kayak camping journey.

I apologize if this a little too much to share, but if my story can help someone else that might be struggling with their own journey, than I am more than glad to have helped. I am once again looking forward to the next step of my paddling career, and am glad that so many of you want to help me. The next question is........ do I still get to call my self the Bearded Recluse?

[Doug]

Hey Rob, so sorry you have been tormented by this whole thing. I think this thread has helped you work things out in your head and made you accept that the 4* award is not something you should or even can rush. It will happen for you soon enough. Sometimes the "fast track" is not the best route to take. You simply tried to learn too many things in too short a time.

It seems like just yesterday I was coaxing you to dunk your head at a cold water workshop. You have come a long way since that day. Your physical setbacks didn't help the cause nor did your work related issues. Life just has a habit of getting in the way. When it happens for you, and it will happen for you soon enough, you will savor the acheivement that much more and your confidence level will be satiated as well. Many accomplished paddlers have been passed over on their first attempt so don't beat yourself up over it. While its a landmark achievment, it's only a title. Enjoy the journey. Sometimes it's fun to relax and simply enjoy being on the water.

Doug

[Inverseyourself]

I can do acute seasickness leading to projectile vomiting with violent convulsions leading to simultaneous bilateral shoulder subluxation leading to capsize leading to entrapment leading to (after successful hand of god) extreme, confused combativeness and general rambunctiousness and malevolent behavior for the remainder of the rescue all the way through simulated choking at the 3PO.

I think that at the level of 4* and above, "failing" is just, as you said Rob, identifying your weaknesses and working on them for the next assessment. In that sense, your 4* assessment was just another training course.

4* is probably something that one doesn't want to "just" pass (not saying you would have "just" passed). All you have after that are 4 * to your name and maybe not enough skill to do what you're supposed to do, lead (unless you become an undercover 4*).

Andy (who's working on 1*)

[Phil Allen]

So I have a dislocated shoulder, head laceration, and hypothermia. Do I have a sea sickness? Anyone? Going once..... Going twice........

Having gotten seasick during 5* training in the spring, I can model that for you. :-)

As Doug says, have some fun paddling. Integrate your "training" into your normal paddling skillset and eventually the assessment will be just another day on the water. You'll get there if that's what you want.

Best

Phil

[rfolster]

It seems like just yesterday I was coaxing you to dunk your head at a cold water workshop.

I remember that very well Doug, and still appreciate the patience you had waiting for me to get up the nerve! It also seem like just yesterday (because it was!) that I was still having trouble dunking my head. I have recognized that I have a fear of rolling, and it is unfortunately not a "skill" to work on - I can roll when I get up the nerve to actually go over. It's the getting that is the hard part. It's also hard to roll when you are nearly hyperventilating. Cathy likes to tell me to just roll over and take a deep breath to relax.

We (the aspirants) were actually in a bit of a rough area when we were told to roll, and that made it much harder - mentally. I ended up paddling into the area just saying to my self, "It's just the pool... It's just the pool...It's just the pool with 2'-3' clapotis!!...It's just the pool."

Came up on my first try. Not pretty, but I was up, and happy. Sigh!!

[rfolster]

Andy, I think that I might just leave you with Warren - bouncing off the rocks! Good grief!!

But seriously, you touched on the point that I don't just want the title - I want to earn it. So if now is not the time, I will take it when it is.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Bearded Recluse

[djlewis]

... when it all finally crystallized for me. The answers that I most desperately needed awaited me at the assessment!

Excellent observation! I had a similar experience at my first 3* (old style) assessment many years ago. At the after-assessment interview Steve Maynard delivered a rather long list of my specific shortcomings. Interestingly, I didn't take notes, which I usually need to do. Instead, they were burned into my memory (strong emotions will do that!). I went home and wrote them all down, and for the next few months that list was my systematic training guide. Result -- passed with flying colors the next try.

For 4* you have a more difficult problem, since you need others to be led for your leadership training -- you cannot do it alone. But you are going about it very nicely -- organize cooperative "incident management" trainings. My only suggestion is to try to bring along at one or more who have already passed the 4*, even if they are not official coaches -- they will be able to spot and correct flaws and make suggestions, and your improvement (and that of the others working with you) will go a lot faster. And, of course, do some training with good coaches.